Inside the decision that pushed Shawn Johnson and Andrew East to meet with a child psychiatrist before Special Forces: World's Toughest Test

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test stars Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and her husband, Andrew East, recently spoke about the measures they took before stepping away from their children to film the FOX show. 

In an interview with E! News, published on November 21, 2025, the couple revealed that they consulted with a child psychiatrist before signing up for the survivalist show.

“I had a meeting with a child psychiatrist before we signed on because I was so scared I was going to scar my kids,” Shawn explained. 

Shawn and Andrew have three children: a 6-year-old daughter, Drew, and two sons, Jett and Bear, who are 4 and 23 months old, respectively.

Andrew chimed in, saying that they had extensive conversations with their children, ensuring that they knew their parents would not be with them for ten days due to the shoot. 

The couple took several precautionary measures and made plans in advance to ensure that their children were not left alone for long periods of time. 

Shawn and Andrew made their way through to the last phase of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

However, Andrew was removed from the course as he was unable to meet the expectations of the DS. Meanwhile, Shawn successfully completed the course alongside RHONJ fame Teresa Giudice’s daughter, Gia. 

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test alums Andrew and Shawn wanted their children to make new memories while they were away

Andrew and Shawn feared that their absence would negatively impact their children’s mental well-being, especially since they were still in their growing ages. 

Consequently, they planned things to make sure they were never unoccupied or were always engaged. 

“We set up so much stuff for them to do… to be distracted and to build memories of their own,” Shawn said. 

The three kids spent time with their grandparents in the absence of their parents and were distracted by “so much stuff.”

Andrew and Shawn were relieved to find out that they “had a blast” during those ten days. 

“They were ready for us to come home, but they truly had good memories from us being gone instead of bad,” Shawn added. 

Andrew and Shawn look back on their time on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 4 saw 18 celebrities take on a grueling selection course as military recruits. 

The course tested their limits mentally and physically, compelling many to withdraw from the show. Others had to be removed due to medical reasons. 

In the finale, only five remained, among which were Andrew and Shawn. While Shawn managed to advance, Andrew was removed after he failed to pass an intense interrogation. 

In one segment of the episode, Shawn revealed that they had planned to complete the show together rather than quit. However, since Andrew was gone, she decided to finish it herself, which she did. 

Looking back on their journey, Shawn told E! News that she went “completely mentally numb” and became a “human shell.”

“Honestly, I would recommend the whole show until the last day. Honestly, it ruined everything. It was so brutal,” Andrew said. 

Shawn chimed in, echoing Andrew’s thoughts that the finale made them experience a different type of intensity they had never faced. 

Regardless, she felt “lucky” that her efforts paid off in the end when she crossed the finish line. 

Andrew was impressed by his wife’s feat and took pride in her performance. Additionally, he was glad they got to experience the show together. 

Stay tuned for more updates.